Jazz Review : KLON’s Jazz West Coast Starts Off Upbeat

The opening day of KLON’s Jazz West Coast celebration was a rousing success, both commercially and artistically. From the initial 9 a.m. panel discussion of the historic era of Central Avenue jazz to the final, exuberant, near-midnight notes of the Stan Kenton alumni orchestra, the venues were full, the audiences were enthusiastic and the musicians were clearly having a ball.

The 14 hours of events provided a colorful first act for the balance of the four-day festival, which takes place at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach. Tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards, one of the under-appreciated jazz treasures of Los Angeles, kicked off the musical programming at lunch time with a taste of the kind of energetic, straight-ahead playing that often was overlooked in the popularized, ‘50s vision of cool West Coast jazz.

A midafternoon concert featuring Buddy Collette, Al Aarons, Gerald Wiggins and Ernie Andrews continued the theme. In addition to a progression of interactive, can-you-top-this soloing from the instrumentalists, the group also showcased Andrews’ lovely, time-remembered reading of “If I Love You” and a celebratory “All Blues.”

In between performances, jazz historian/archivist Mark Cantor screened some of his films, and other panels examined subjects such as be-bop on the West Coast, jazz in the ‘40s and the Stan Kenton innovations orchestra.

The day’s major event, an evening concert presenting the Candoli Brothers Quintet and the Kenton alumni (performing works from his Innovations in Modern Music period), drew an overflow crowd that swelled the capacity of the Grand Ballroom from 750 to nearly 1,000.

The Candolis were, as always, entertaining and lighthearted. Conte is the superior jazz player, but elder brother Pete’s counter-soloing--spirited and uncomplicated--persistently demanded attention on its own terms.

If there was a disappointment in the evening’s proceedings, it was the failure of the Kenton alumni orchestra, complete with string section, to produce a full-length rendering of Bob Graettinger’s dissonant “City of Glass.” (Insufficient rehearsal time was blamed.) But the sumptuous sound of the massive arrangements--mostly by Bill Russo, Pete Rugolo (who conducted his own pieces) and Shorty Rogers (prevented from attending by illness)--was ample compensation. Soloing by trombonist Slyde Hyde and alto saxophonists Gabe Baltazar and Bud Shank was excellent, with Baltazar, in particular, sounding in top form.

At the program’s close, producer Ken Poston, prowling the Grand Ballroom with a beaming smile on his face, said, “I knew we had something, but I didn’t know it would be this good. This thing has done so well that we actually started making a profit earlier this week. Who says jazz isn’t alive and well?”

* Jazz West Coast tonight and tomorrow at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, 300 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, and the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 320 Knob Hill Redondo Beach. Some tickets available for individual events at prices ranging from $8 to $50. Information (310) 985-5566 or (310) 985-7000.